Sr. Data Center Network Engineer

Job Title: Sr. Data Center Network Engineer

Location: NY/NJ/Pittsburgh (Onsite 3 days/week NYC)

Duration: 6 Months Contract

Overview

We are seeking a Senior Data Center Network Engineer with 10+ years of enterprise and data center networking experience to support the structured decommissioning of brownfield data center infrastructure. The right candidate has deep hands-on experience with Cisco platforms, multi-vendor environments, and has personally executed device retirements — not just supervised them.

Looking for: datacenter/decommissioning/Cisco ACI experience

Location: Hybrid 3x a week 

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct network audits to identify devices targeted for decommissioning

• Back up configurations, VLAN databases, and routing tables prior to any retirement activity

• Design and execute traffic migration strategies to reroute services before decommissioning

• Decommission routers, switches, and firewalls; update network diagrams and topology documentation accordingly

• Migrate legacy platforms (e.g., Catalyst 6500, Brocade) to modern infrastructure (Nexus 7K/5K/2K) as part of consolidation efforts

• Lead terminal server consolidation and streamline out-of-band access methods

• Perform post-migration validation (PAT/NRFU) to confirm service continuity

• Operate within change-controlled environments with CAB approval processes

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to coordinate decommission timelines

Required Technical Skills

• Routing protocols: OSPF, BGP, EIGRP, MPLS

• Switching: VLANs, VTP, STP/MSTP, EtherChannel, vPC, VDC, OTV

• Cisco Nexus (9K, 7K, 5K, 2K), Catalyst (6500, 9300, 4500), ASR routers

• Cisco ACI — Spine-Leaf architecture, fabric path, legacy integration

• Juniper MX/EX switches and routers a plus

• F5 BIG-IP LTM/GTM experience a plus

• EVPN, VXLAN, data center fabric technologies

• Python scripting and/or Ansible for configuration auditing and automation

• NMS tools: SolarWinds, CiscoWorks, or equivalent

• Proficient in network diagramming (Visio or equivalent)

Certifications

• CCNP required (Enterprise or Data Center track)

• CCIE Data Center strongly preferred

• PMP or ITIL Foundation a plus